“Green” Alonso unwraps hammer: best time

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Old master and Vettel successor Fernando Alonso (41) is especially difficult to stop. “I want my 33rd win,” says the two-time world champion with 356 world championships. And no driver with more than 300 races has ever won a Grand Prix. Will Alonso stay ahead of Hamilton (311 races)?

Alpine makes steam…

Once the 20 drivers were under the spotlight in the second practice session, Ocon and Gasly, two drivers who had already bluffed during testing, took the lead in the Alpine. Until shortly afterwards they were replaced by the Ferrari duo of Leclerc and Sainz (last in the first practice session).

Ferrari is already under a lot of pressure

The Italians have to deliver from day one. The Italian press is merciless. If you haven’t won a World Cup for 15 years, you don’t have a rest period. The new boss Fred Vasseur (54) knows that too.

His rhetoric from the time of Alfa-Sauber is no longer imitated in Maranello. Now the facts or clear statements must come to the table.

Mercedes weak – like 2022

In the first practice session, Ferrari unpacked the new rear wing with a strut – but Leclerc’s car vibrated so much that the old version with two struts was quickly bolted on.

At Mercedes, both cars are fighting with the necessary speed. You don’t know (yet) why you are suddenly fast and then follow behind. Is it really just the front axle? The puzzling is dangerous – and unfortunately already reminiscent of 2022.

Good successor to Schumi

In the second practice, Lange Hülkenberg and Magnussen gave a poor performance in the Haas Ferrari. Until both sprinted forward with the soft rubber. And Schumi’s successor Hükenberg even took the lead after 26 minutes. In the end, the German was a strong fifth.

For Hülkenberg, the injured Lance Stroll (24, broken wrists) had recently taken first place in the Aston Martin-Mercedes.

But no one was surprised by the surprises when ‘grandpa’ Fernando Alonso (41) turned up – and set the best time. For the bull duo Verstappen and Pérez.

The same trio as in the morning

This trio had already dominated the first 60 minutes. And you can say it now: all connoisseurs who characterized Aston Martin-Mercedes as a secret favorite (even before Mercedes) could well be right.

Silverstone’s “Greens” are no longer a midfield team. Buying the best people from Red Bull and Mercedes (Blick reported) now seems to be paying off.

Always problems with the rubber

The Pirelli tire is perhaps the most important in 2023. The harder compounds (C1, C2, C3) were dragged over the very rough desert road to Bahrain. Finally, the concrete tires (C0) come, but especially the softer compounds (C4, C5).

However, this is not determined by the teams or drivers, but only by the tire soloist. That there is almost constant rubber criticism in the paddock often depends on the results of the defeated teams or drivers!

If Formula 1 had two tire manufacturers like it used to, the noise would last all season.

Alfa Sauber in midfield

Alfa-Sauber seems to settle somewhere in the almost endless midfield. In the morning there were place 8 (Zhou) and 9 (Bottas). Mercedes works directly in front of the two.

In the afternoon, the two drivers toured the same region. As expected after the tests: Williams-Mercedes and Alpha Tauri-Honda, like 2022, will eat the hardest bread.

Palman wanted!

Qualifying on Saturday at 18:00 local time (16 CET). Who will get the first pole position? There are several contenders for a quick lap.

Source : Blick